Yunho's footsteps were calm, yet full of intent, as he made his way to the library. The weight of what he'd overheard clung to him, heavy and suffocating. The laughter. The careless, cruel voices. They had dropped fragments of a truth he hadn't even realised he needed.
Jason.
The locker incident.
Bella.
He hadn't known, and that made it worse.
How had he missed the signs? The subtle shifts in her mood, the way she flinched when she thought no one was watching, the barely masked frustration she kept locked away? He should have seen it. He should have been there. Instead, he had been blind, and the guilt burned hotter than the anger he felt toward Jason or anyone else.
Pushing past the clusters of students still loitering in the halls, Yunho kept his eyes ahead. His thoughts were sharp, restless. He wasn't going to let this go. He needed to see Bella.
The library had become her shelter these days. Headphones on, nose in a book, building walls in silence. As he approached the glass entrance, he spotted her in a familiar corner, alone, surrounded by notes. She looked calm, but he could see it. The armor she wore in the slump of her shoulders. His chest tightened.
Without a word, Yunho walked in and quietly slipped into the seat beside her.
Bella looked up, startled, her eyes searching his face.
He reached over gently, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. The gesture said everything he didn't know how to put into words. He wanted to kiss her worries away and shield her with his hug—but they were in the library, and he couldn't.
Her eyes flicked over him. His usually neat hair was tousled, the crease between his brows deeper than usual.
"Yunho," she murmured, reaching up to smooth his hair. "You look like you've been through a storm."
He lowered his gaze to his hands, then after a moment, looked back at her.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Bella froze. Her heart stuttered.
In an instant, she began gathering her books and notes, fumbling them into her bag.
He reached for her, a soft hand on her arm, but she was already standing.
"They told me," he said, voice low but firm.
Bella froze, her breath catching. "They told you?" she asked, eyes wide with a mix of surprise and apprehension.
"I overheard Jason bragging to his friends," Yunho said, keeping his tone steady but intense. "About your locker. About what he did."
Her jaw went tight. Her hands gripped the straps of her bag. "I… I didn't think it mattered. I thought… maybe it was one of those girls who hated me for being with you."
Yunho's chest tightened at her words. "I should have known. I should have been paying attention."
Bella looked up at him, eyes full of questions.
"So… what happens now? Do you think Jason will go to the teachers?" she asked, barely breathing.
"He won't dare, but then, he's a coward and I'm sure he would." Yunho smirked while taking out his phone. He started typing a message and his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen.
"Sorry, I have to take this," he said, stepping away to answer.
Bella stood in silence, staring at the ground. Her thoughts spiraled, worry gnawing at her. What if this turned into something bigger? What if Yunho got suspended or worse?
A few minutes later, Yunho returned and reached for her hand.
"I'll walk you home," he said softly. "And don't worry. It's handled."
Loose Ends
The next morning, Bella arrived at school earlier than usual, the sun just beginning to cast long shadows across the courtyard. Her backpack felt heavier than normal, weighed down not just with books but with a knot of lingering anxiety. Even after last night's texts from Yunho, her chest still fluttered with a mixture of relief and apprehension.
Good night. See you at school tomorrow.
It had been enough to keep her from tossing and turning but not enough to stop her mind from replaying the events of the past days in endless loops: the locker, the ruined textbooks, Jason's careless laughter, Yunho's fist connecting with Jason's jaw, the quiet, grounding hand he had held hers with afterward.
As she walked through the gates, she spotted him immediately. He was leaning against the railing near the courtyard, phone in hand, scrolling lazily or at least that was what it looked like. His posture was relaxed but the tension in his shoulders gave away the restless night. Her pulse quickened.
She hurried over, sneakers squeaking lightly against the pavement, unable to stop the questions from rushing out as soon as she was within earshot.
"What happened?" she asked, voice pitched too high in worry. "Did Jason come after you?"
Yunho gave a short, humorless laugh. "Worse," he said. "He cried to the principal."
Bella blinked. "And?"
"And both our parents were called," he said, the faintest bitterness in his tone. "Things could've escalated but instead…" He paused, glancing around as though the weight of his words demanded the quiet of the empty morning courtyard. "Both families made large donations to the school. One of those let's-keep-it-quiet kinds of deals."
Bella's stomach dropped. "So… they're covering it up?"
Yunho nodded, a mixture of relief and annoyance in his expression. "Apparently, since I threw the first punch, I violated the school's code of conduct. But Jason destroying your stuff, breaking into your locker; they're calling it a misunderstanding."
She stared at him, stunned, unable to form the words that might express the jumble of disbelief, relief, and outrage bubbling in her chest.
"That's not justice," she whispered finally, shaking her head.
"No," Yunho said softly. "It's politics. But don't worry. My parents have lawyers ready if Jason even thinks about trying anything again. He was in the wrong first so he won't be pursing this."
Bella let out a slow breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding. The storm wasn't over, not fully, but at least she wasn't facing it alone. That alone made the weight on her chest a little lighter.
End of the Day
That evening, Bella sat at her desk, trying and failing to focus on homework.
Her phone buzzed.
Yunho: Just checking in. You good?
She smiled faintly, her fingers tapping quickly across the screen.
Bella: Yeah. Better. Thanks to you.
She hesitated, fingers hovering, then typed another line.
Bella: You really didn't have to go that far.
A moment later, the reply came.
Yunho: You matter. That's far enough for me.
Bella's lips curved into a soft smile. She exhaled slowly, letting the tension in her shoulders ease just a fraction. Then, impulsively, she asked, "You okay?"
"Not really," Yunho admitted, his voice low. "But I'm dealing with it."
"My dad's not happy," he admitted after a pause. "The school wanted to give me a two-day suspension. He called it off. Said we'd take our donation back if they pushed it."
Bella blinked, a little stunned. "Wait, so… he threatened them?"
Yunho nodded. "Said if they punish me without punishing Jason, it'd be a PR disaster. Guess they agreed."
She wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or horrified. It was effective, yes, but the idea of manipulating school politics, even for her sake, left her uneasy.
"You still think it was worth it?" she asked quietly, almost to herself.
Yunho didn't hesitate. "Every second."
A quiet settled over her room as the evening deepened. Papers rustled softly as she flipped through them, but she hardly noticed. Her thoughts remained with Yunho and how this could impact him negatively, all because of her.
Morning After
The next day, Bella approached school with a mixture of caution and determination. She walked slowly, shoulders squared but eyes wary. Whispers drifted around her, though quieter now, dulled by time and tension. The shadow of Jason's antics was still there, lingering in the edges of hallways and lockers but Yunho's firm stance the day before had quieted most of the fear that had threatened to keep her home.
Her chest tightened as she realised Yunho wasn't by her locker like usual. But then she spotted him near the courtyard, leaning against the railing, scrolling absently through his phone. Relief flooded her chest.
"You're early," she said softly as she approached.
"I couldn't sleep," he replied without looking up.
Bella nodded, chewing on her lip. "Me neither."
A beat of silence stretched between them, comfortable in its own way, before Yunho sighed and shoved his phone into his pocket.
"So, it's done," he said, voice low. "The school isn't pursuing anything. No record, no suspension. Just… quiet."
Bella blinked. "That's it?"
"Yeah," he said. "My dad spoke to the school board. Jason's parents backed off. I think everyone agreed this was something better left forgotten."
"And Jason?" she asked, a flicker of worry crossing her face.
Yunho shrugged, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "He won't say anything. His family wants it buried more than anyone. I don't think he'll come near either of us again."
Bella studied him, still unsure. The weight of past days lingered, but the edge had softened, just a little.
"So it's really over?" she asked.
Yunho met her gaze and nodded. "For now, yeah. No more threats. No more locker nonsense. Just… peace."
She exhaled the breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding. It was almost surreal, the way the bright morning sunlight seemed at odds with the heaviness of the last few days. Yet, somehow, with him there, it felt like a beginning instead of an ending.
Bella looked up at him, her voice soft but steady. "Thank you. For standing up for me. Even when I didn't ask you to."
"You didn't need to," Yunho said. "I wanted to. And I always will."